City of Moreland: Mark Riley, Greens-led council seeks to ban councillors from media

A second Greens-led council has made the controversial attempt to ban councillors from speaking to the media, leaked emails reveal.

City of Moreland mayor Mark Riley would like all media inquiries directed to him, leaked emails show. ​

A Greens-led inner-city council has sought to prevent elected representatives from speaking to the media, leaked emails reveal.

An email distributed to councillors at the City of Moreland this week instructed them it was “advisable” that all media inquiries be directed to the communications team on the grounds that “the Mayor should be the spokesperson for Council”.

“Councillors, many of you are contacted by various media outlets for comments, it’s advisable that in the first instance you direct all media inquiries to the communication department,” the emails says.

“We can then formalise a response with relevant information.”

The email goes on to say: “The Mayor is the spokesperson for Council, and should he/she not be available for then responses should be delegated to the Deputy Mayor.”

The email comes weeks after the City of Yarra, another Greens-led council, spiked plans to prevent councillors from openly criticising council decisions and from speaking independently to the media.

Moreland, which has been led by Greens mayor Mark Riley since November, has become the centre of controversy after its signalled its intention to dump its name due to its links to a 19th century slave trading estate.

The cost of changing its name has consistently been touted as $500,000, despite many within the council confirming to Leader they expect the figure to be significantly higher.

At Moreland’s most recent council meeting on March 9, independent councillor Helen Pavlidis said she had been “gagged” after Mr Riley blocked her repeated questions to chief executive Cathy Henderson over the cost of the city’s name change.

On Monday, Monica Harte became the second socialist elected to Moreland after a recount was triggered by the. resignation of councillor Milad El-Halabi.

The election of Ms Harte gives the Greens and socialists a working majority for the first time.

Ms Henderson said it was “untrue” the council was trying to prevent councillors speaking to the media.

“Moreland’s councillor Code of Conduct states that ‘Individual Councillors are permitted to express their personal opinions via the media,’” she said.

Ms Henderson said that councillors often express their opinions in the media, while the Victorian Local Government Act stipulates the mayor as the head of the council.

Evan Mulholland, from The Institute of Public Affairs, described the move as akin to a “Star Chamber.”

“Councillors must be allowed to think and speak for themselves. In fact, they’re elected to do so,” Mr Mulholland said.

“This is Moreland’s very own Star Chamber full of nosy media spinners.

“This kind of bureaucratic censorship should be resisted.”